


Human Truth Serum

by HowAboutThatSnapback



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, OC Character Death, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-25 12:42:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7533211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HowAboutThatSnapback/pseuds/HowAboutThatSnapback
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stan’s always been like a human truth serum- able to get anyone to tell him what he wants them to tell him. He doesn’t tell anyone what he doesn’t want to tell them, but today’s a day that’s different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Human Truth Serum

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Gravity Falls or the characters, just the plot.

For [@jimsdeadbones](https://tmblr.co/mc3aEgJD27VDcur6sMpa1jw)’ birthday (T-T I’m so sorry for being so late- er, I mean… pffft! What do you mean late? I’m- uh- I’m just early for next year). I hope it was worth the wait.

* * *

“Is it me or has Grunkle Stan been acting weird all day?” Dipper asks his sister while looking at Stan while he counts out.

It’d be normal if it weren’t for the fact this was his fifth time counting the same stack. He usually counts only twice to make sure of his count (though his first count is always right), but to count so many times was unsettling. He has a scowl on his face as if he’s frustrated with himself for being distracted.

“Yeah, he has been acting weird,” Mabel says. “Should we ask?”

“No, Grunkle Stan won’t tell us if anything’s wrong,” Dipper grumbles.

“Should I get the truth teeth?”

Dipper shakes his head. “No, that didn’t work out so well last time.”

“Then what’s the plan?”

“Maybe Grunkle Ford can talk to him?” Dipper shrugs.

* * *

Ford had noticed that his brother was acting off all day, though he wasn’t aware of the source. He was curious and he tapped his fingers against the table with a small frown on his lips.

“Grunkle Ford?”

His gaze snaps up to his niblings and he smiles. “Yes, kids?”

“You know Grunkle Stan pretty well, right?” Mabel asks while climbing into his lap.

“Erm… why do you ask?” Ford asks instead of answering.

“Grunkle Stan’s been acting funny… I think he’s sad,” Dipper insists.

“Sad about what would be the question,” Ford muttered.

He missed over forty years of his brother’s life and he couldn’t remember exact dates of anything so he didn’t know if anything about the specific date would trigger anything.

And he intended to find out.

* * *

Stan rubs a red ribbon under his thumb and stares at it.

He’s worn this as a tie for decades. For a while it was in a keepsake box, but one day after deciding to change his appearance he decided he needed a tie- he couldn’t use the previous worn down one or let the top button stay open to distract the ladies. So he rummaged around until he found it.

It was his daughter’s favorite ribbon; the one she wore practically every day. The day she died she didn’t wear it because she didn’t want to get it dirty in case she fell in the water of the lake. He was glad that she didn’t wear it years later- the two reds would’ve been easily distinguishable.

His concentration is broken by his brother as he walks into the room.

“Whaddoyawant, Sixer?” Stan asks.

Ford seems to hesitate a moment as he sits on the dinosaur skull, but then he asks, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Stan assures.

“The kids’ve noticed and so have I… you can tell me anything,” Ford assures. “If something’s troubling you, please tell me.”

Stan makes a face. “It’s not important.”

“Then why’re you fighting so hard not to tell me?” Ford asks, knowing his brother’s habit.

Stan remains silent for a long time, eyes on the ribbon in his hands. “You’re not gonna leave this alone, are you?”

“Nope.”

Ford’s surprised at how _aged_  his brother looks when his shoulders slump in defeat. His eyes are sorrowful and he looks like he’s about to cry.

Ford grabs his brother’s free hand and squeezes it supportively with his brow furrowed with worry.

“It was a long time ago… but,” Stan grumbles and then sighs heavily as he raises his free hand to hide his face in… shame?  “I should’ve looked after her better…”

“Who?”

“Her… her name was Karen. She was a bit younger than the kids and she was my entire world… even put back progress on the portal for her… You could’ve had one more niece if I wasn’t so stupid,” Stan says and his voice becomes thicker as he speaks.

_Another niece? Stan had a kid? What happened? Why_ -

“You’re not stupid,” Ford assures strongly.

“You say that now,” Stan scoffs with a humorless chuckle. “We went to the lake that day… I hadn’t spent a lotta time with her and that day I was gonna devote to her… turned my back for one second and she was gone.

“Searched for hours before Corduroy drove me back home- promised to drive my car back to me in the mornin’. They kept lookin’ ‘round the lake while I looked around the Shack. Only went inside when I was completely exhausted and I was gonna call to see if they found ‘er… unfortunately I did.”

Stan grits his teeth and takes a ragged breath. Ford can barely make out tears on his jaw.

“Take your time,” Ford encourages, his stomach having dropped at this point.

“I trusted him… and he turned around and snatched my baby girl away from me… Said he had no intentions of hurtin’ ‘her- loved her to bits… Pointed the gun at me and… y-y’know… she had dreams about me dyin’ for a long time? Always came inta my room and slept next’a me t’ be sure I was there?”

Realization hits Ford like a ton of bricks. “She… she jumped in front… didn’t she?”

A hysterical laugh answers that. “Should’ah been me… she got shot and I lost it… paramedics didn’t get there in time t’ save ‘er and she died in my arms… right in this room. I-I failed as a parent and… and-”

A sob tears through his lips and he tries to be quiet, but he can’t- the dam’s broken.

Ford hugs his twin and rocks him. Stan sobs into his shoulder and hugs his brother, desperate to have some sort of anchor.

When it seems that nothing will calm his brother he decides that now might be a good time to sing.

_“Let me sing a lullaby,_  
_To chase the spirits away._  
_Let me tell you that nearby,  
_ _Is the light of a brand new day._

_Will you let me help you through your storm?_  
_Will you let me keep you safe and warm?_  
_Will you let me hold you through the night?  
_ _If I do all this will you be alright?_

__Let me be your lullaby,__  
I’ll chase the bad thoughts away.  
I will always be nearby  
To bring a smile your way.  


_Are your nightmares far away?_  
_Is your mind no longer astray?_  
_Did my song work for you?  
_ _Please tell me that this is true…_

_Have I helped you through your troubled storms?_  
_Have I made you feel nice, safe and warm?_  
_Now that I have held you through the night,_  
_Do you feel alright?_  
_Do you feel alright?_  
_Do you feel alright?  
__Do you feel alright?…_ ”

Ford omitted the first verse for a number of reasons, but added a new one spontaneously to help keep the flow.

Stanl chuckles. “Remember when Ma used to sing that song?”

“Yeah… and the one time Ma forced Pa to sing,” Ford adds.

“He sang so bad Ma never let him sing ever again,” Stan laughs, tears still in his eyes, but this time of reminiscent mirth.

“Not even when he actually would try to sing well.”

The two of them laugh for a good five minutes over the memory- Cassandra had hit Filbrick on the chest claiming he’d give their boys more nightmares with his bad singing voice.

As their laughter dies down Stanley lets out a sad sigh. “Karen woulda got spoiled if she ever met ‘em…”

Ford gently runs his fingers through silver locks. “I’m sure she would’ve… tell me more about her.”

Stan smiles a little. “You woulda loved her. She was creative- y’know she took an empty cereal box, paper towel tube, and some string and made her own guitar? It wasn’t half bad for a five year old. She was also hilarious- she’d make jokes that were actually funny. Like this one windy day when she was five or six she grabbed my hand and said ‘careful’ and when I asked why, guess what she said.”

“Old people have to be careful?” It was a long-shot, but it was worth a try.

Stan shakes his head and chuckles, “She said, ‘Your ears are so big, you’d be a kite if I tied a string on your leg.’”

Ford bursts into laughter and holds a hand over his mouth to muffle the laughter so that it won’t wake the children. It was ugly laughter- that’s for sure.

“Tha-that’s _genius_ ,” Ford says as he’s beginning to get his bearings back.

“Right?” Stan sighs and looks up at the ceiling. “I miss her… I miss her so much and it being her birthday… I used t’ get ‘er a cake every year… presents, too… then I couldn’t bring myself to even do that…”

Ford lightly bumps his forehead against his brother’s temple. “Hey, it’s okay… y’know what?”

“What?”

“I think you gave her the best birthday present this year.”

“What’s that?” Stan asks incredulously.

“Remembering her with a smile instead of just crying… from what I can tell from what you’ve told me about her, that’s all she’d ever want from you.”

Stan wipes his eyes and sniffs once. “Uh… thanks, Ford… this really helped a lot.”

“Anytime, lil’ brother,” Ford says with a smile while ruffling his brother’s hair.


End file.
